Drunk
by Kare
Summary: Another of my short Kate and Angel stories. Kate's drunk and looks to Angel for answers. BTW, all my stories are on www.alwaysfanfic.com if you want to read more.


AUTHOR: Karen "Powrhug" Wood  
  
E-MAIL: powrhug@sky.net  
  
TITLE: Drunk (1/1)  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
CATEGORY: Angst, UC couple  
  
COUPLE: Angel/Kate  
  
NOTES: If you don't like the idea of Angel and Kate together? Or actually painfully apart to be more accurate? Well you probably won't like this. Spoilers? None really. Written 8/27/01.  
  
SUMMARY: Kate visits Angel after having one too many...or not enough.  
  
ARCHIVE: Sure, if you want it just take it...but let me know where so  
  
I can come visit! Anyone I've said okay to before doesn't need to  
  
ask.  
  
DISCLAIMER: The usual. I don't own them. The creators/producers/writers of Angel: The Series do. I'm just writing my thoughts down about the characters and sharing. Without profiting of course.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She leaned against the heavy, old door frame, partly because of the bottle that she'd found companionship with earlier, partly because she didn't have the courage to knock.  
  
"Liquid courage," she mumbled, "Who the hell ever thought to call it that?"  
  
She breathed in deep and covered her face with her palms, letting her mind drift on a wave of alcohol-induced numbness. A lack of feeling she had begun to crave.  
  
*The click. Isn't that what it was called in that Tennessee Williams play?* she thought. *That one that had Paul Newman in the movie? Him and ole whatshername, Miss Violet-eyes. Blue-eyes and violet eyes.*  
  
"He was a drunk too wasn't he?" she whispered. "He said he drank til he felt the click. The click meant he didn't have t'feel anymore. The click. Click click click."  
  
She laughed softly at the sound of her own voice, and at the feel of her tongue in her mouth when she said the word. She said it over and over until it really wasn't a word anymore.  
  
And she was so caught up in her new-found game that she nearly fell across the threshold when the door was opened.  
  
The only thing that stopped her was the black-clad chest on the other side. And strong arms that reached out to steady her.  
  
Which irritated her.  
  
"Don't," she said, jerking her elbows from the vampire's grasp.  
  
Angel stuffed his hands in his pockets and took a step back at the venom in the single word she'd uttered.  
  
"Kate?"  
  
She smiled, with tight-lips and closed eyes, and sighed.  
  
"Yup, 's me. How'd you know?"  
  
"I...uh, you know."  
  
"Feel me? Felt me? I mean...felt my presence or some other vampy thing like that?"  
  
"Yeah, something like that."  
  
"Or did you smell me?" She asked, steadying herself again against the door frame. "Did ya smell me Angel? Isn't that what you bloodsuckers do?"  
  
He cringed almost imperceptibly at her choice of words and ignored the question, instead he replied, "Not your usual choice of drink tonight Kate."  
  
"Tequila...I was feeling...you know...festive or something," she said, waving her hands in a small flourish before crossing her arms and staring down at her shoes, trying to remember the last time she'd bought a pair.  
  
"Kate. Kate?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Are you going to come in?"  
  
She frowned then looked up, trying to focus. On his face. On his voice. On something other than her scuffed, brown, healed-penny loafers.  
  
"Yeah. Uh huh. Yeah. I was just, waiting for an invitation," she said, then laughed. "Get it? Because..."  
  
"I got it Kate."  
  
She frowned again when he didn't laugh. But entered anyway. And nearly fell when she didn't remember the small step down immediately upon entrance.  
  
Strong arms reached out and this time she let them engulf her.  
  
She breathed deep.  
  
"You smell too. Good I mean...you smell good."  
  
"Cordy. She gave me aftershave for my birthday. It's from Cordy," he said as he led her to the old sofa located at one end of the large room.  
  
"Vampire's have birthday's?"  
  
"Yeah Kate, even vampire's have birthdays."  
  
"Good t'know," she said, sighing. "Cordy. I've got to thank Cordy, remind me to thank Cordy okay Angel?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll do that."  
  
He slowly lowered her to the cushions and gently but firmly laid her on her side, bringing her legs onto the seat as well.  
  
"You need to sleep Kate," he said as he lingered near her, perched on the edge of the couch.  
  
"Sleep?"  
  
"Yeah," he said. "Just close your eyes and get some sleep."  
  
When he didn't get a response he stood and began to make his away across the room, intent on getting a blanket or an extra pillow to try to make her more comfortable. He was a few feet away when he heard her whisper.  
  
"It's not sleep I need Angel."  
  
He stopped but didn't turn around.  
  
"I know. But it's all I can offer you right now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He let out a tired sigh but still didn't turn. "Now's not the time Kate."  
  
Her tone turned bitter, "Not the time for what Angel? Not the time to talk? Not the time to love you?"  
  
"Not the time to need you?" he started at the last phrase, uttered not from across the room, but from directly behind him. And not angry or bitter, but low and seductive.  
  
Arms slid up his back and down again before sliding in between his arms and his sides and making their way up his chest. Fingers splayed, pulling him back into her.  
  
Her hot breath on his back sent small shocks pulsing into his stomach and down further.  
  
"Kate..."  
  
"Shhhh...don't talk Angel," she said, lips vibrating against his shoulder blade before kissing him there. All the while, her hands in front rubbed small circles across his chest and abs.  
  
His hands came up and trapped hers, stopping their dizzying motion.  
  
"You know how easy it would be to say yes Kate?" he asked, voice deep and throaty.  
  
"Then say yes," she said, now deathly still behind him, knowing, dreading his reply.  
  
"I can't do that."  
  
"Can't or won't Angel?" she asked before jerking her hands free.  
  
He instinctively turned and reached for her, catching her arm before she could retreat.  
  
"Don't," she said for the second time that night, with the same venom.  
  
"Don't," she said again, quieter. And then he let her go.  
  
"The last thing, the *last* thing I want is to hurt you Kate."  
  
"Yeah, but you do," she said as she folded her arms and turned away unsteadily, still feeling the effects of the alcohol.  
  
He stood behind her, wanting to reach out to her. In fact his hands were almost on her shoulders before he jerked them away and thrust them deep down into his pockets.  
  
"I'm sorry Kate. I can't give you what you want."  
  
She laughed then replied, "How do you know what I want Angel?"  
  
"Okay," he said nodding. "Fine. What is it you want?"  
  
She paused then walked to the door. She tripped once again over the small step, but jerked up a hand to warn him against trying to steady her. When she reached the door she half turned and looked at him sadly.  
  
"I want to feel the click."  
  
"The...the what?"  
  
She stared at the doorknob as she rubbed it carefully, feeling the coolness of the old metal.  
  
"The click Angel," she said almost absentmindedly. "I want to feel the click."  
  
He stood, silently looking at her, realizing he wasn't supposed to understand.  
  
"I thought you could help me do that," she said as she finally turned the handle. "But I was wrong."  
  
She leaned against the door when it closed behind her. Eyes downcast. Breath shallow. Willing herself to feel the small amount of alcohol left in her system.  
  
"God DAMN I need new shoes," she said. Then walked away into the night.  
  
-end- 


End file.
